This invention relates to a chamber for processing substrates.
In the processing of substrates, such as substrate etching processes, deposition processes, and cleaning processes, gases such as halogen or oxygen gases, are used. The gases, especially when they are energized, for example by RF or microwave energy, can corrode components of the chamber, such as the chamber wall. For example, unprotected chamber walls made of aluminum can corrode in halogen gases to form undesirable halogenated gaseous byproducts, such as AlCl3 or AlF3. Excessive corrosion and degradation of the chamber walls can require frequent repair or replacement of the chamber or the chamber walls which is undesirable. Corrosion of chamber walls can also result in flaking of the corroded portions of the walls and such flakes can fall upon and contaminate the substrate. Thus, reducing corrosion of the chamber walls is desirable to reduce chamber downtime, limit the frequency of repair or replacement of the chamber wall, and improve substrate yields.
The gases may also react with the chamber wall to form deposits of process residues and corrosion byproducts on the walls that, in time, peel off and fall on the substrate. The deposit formation also necessitates frequent cleaning of the chamber walls and resultant chamber downtime. The chamber downtime is undesirable, especially in the competitive semiconductor industry.
Thus, there is a need for a chamber having a corrosion resistant wall that is able to resist corrosion when exposed to corrosive gas, and in particular corrosive plasmas. There is also a need for corrosion resistant chamber walls that reduce the contamination of substrates from process residues and by-products that accumulate on the chamber walls.
A substrate processing chamber wall comprises a composite structure including a porous ceramic material at least partially infiltrated with a fluorinated polymer.
A substrate processing chamber comprises a substrate support, a gas supply, a gas exhaust, a gas energizer, and a wall about the substrate support, the wall comprising a porous ceramic material at least partially infiltrated with a fluorinated polymer, whereby a substrate on the substrate support may be processed by gas introduced by the gas supply, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the gas exhaust.
A method of manufacturing a chamber wall comprises forming a wall comprising a porous ceramic material, and at least partially infiltrating the porous ceramic material with a fluorinated polymer.